Picayune stays unbeaten with 28-10 win over East Central

Audio replay of the game (Click Here)

Picayune—The Picayune-East Central matchup was for the outright lead in the Region 4-5A standings, and when the pebbles settled underneath the artificial turf in Lee-Triplett Stadium’s Riser Medical Associates field, the Maroon Tide prevailed 28-10 in slugfest.

After each team was stopped by the other, East Central scored first on a 35 yard touchdown pass from Andrew Marble to Grey Bradley with 2:05 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead after the extra point by Benjamin Myrick.

Picayune answered on the first snap of their possession on Dante Dowdell’s 57 yard run. Morgan Craft split the uprights with the point after to tie the game with 1:43 left in the quarter.

After the teams exchanged punts, the Hornets would get a 30 yard field goal from Myrick with 6:40 left in the half.

After another exchange of punts, Picayune got the ball on it’s 40 yard line with 2:18 left. Darrell Smith, filling in for starter Brady Robertson who was out due to an injury, took off on a 58 yard keeper to put the Maroon Tide up 14-10 after the Craft extra point with :55 left in the half.

Photos by Randy Brown/WRJW Sports

Darrell Smith (4) prepares to make a handoff vs East Central

After an exchange of punts to start the third quarter, Picayune held the Hornets on down taking over at the Maroon Tide 38. Facing third and nine from his 39, Smith connected with Jessiah Contee for a 33 yard pass. Smith ran for 16 yards on the next play and Chris Davis finished the drive slashing in on the left side from 12 yards for the touchdown. Craft converted the extra point for a 21-10 lead with 2:37 left in the third quarter.

Darnell Smith (41) blocks while Chris Davis (6) focuses on taking in a pitch

Smith added another score for the Maroon Tide on a 32 yard run with 3:46 left in the game.

Picayune ran for 285 yards with Smith leading the way with 161 yards on 10 carries.

Head Coach Cody Stogner was pleased with his team’s play.

“That’s good old fashion football right there, and we knew it would be. I’m real proud of our guys, especially our defense in the second half.”

On his defense shutting out East Central in the second half, he said, “We had to make some adjustments, but it really came down to our guys stepping up and making plays. That’s a tough team right there (East Central), but we have some tough guys too.”

On the play of sophomore Darrell Smith, Stogner said, “Big time players make big time plays. That’s what he did.”

Picayune (7-0, 3-0) will be home next week hosting West Harrison.